The Jets’ failed and costly Dalvin Cook experiment has opened the door wider for a receptive rookie.
After signing a one-year deal for $6.8 million, Cook was candidly frustrated about his playing time in New York.
Coming off four consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons with the Vikings, the six-year veteran gained 214 yards on 67 rushing attempts without a touchdown in 15 games.
Having Cook, who was signed by the Super Bowl-contending Ravens after being waived by the Jets on Tuesday, eliminated from the Jets’ depth chart is Israel Abanikanda’s gain.
“Oh yeah, definitely. Definitely feel grateful, you know, blessed. Knew my time was coming to start playing and stuff,” Abanikanda told The Post on Thursday. “I just want to keep taking advantage of the opportunities and keep working, as I’ve always been doing, even when I wasn’t playing. I still have that same mindset, keep grinding.”
The 21-year-old, known for his speed, has tallied 19 rushing attempts for 64 yards, as well as seven receptions for 43 yards, across five games. Though most of his time has been spent on the sideline, Abanikanda doesn’t see it as a disadvantage.
He has studied his mentors, Cook and Breece Hall, observing how they do their job in an effort to make himself better when the opportunity comes.
“I’ll watch how they [Hall and Cook] run between the defense, how they protect the quarterback, how they pick up blitzes. I see their movement and I try to see how I could do the movement in practice even when I was not playing,” he explained. “I learned a lot from just watching, learning the field. And seeing how defensive players’ bodies wear down and stuff, and me having fresh legs, how can I use that towards my advantage.”
Hall commended his understudy, saying he has “every tool” to be successful in this league.
“He’s got the playbook down. Now he’s getting a lot more reps, so he’s only gonna get better,” he said on Friday.
In Week 17 against the Browns, Michael Clemons had an outburst, continuously yelling “f— you” to Cleveland fans during the eventual 37-20 loss.
On Friday, when head coach Robert Saleh was asked if he had to have a conversation with Clemons on the matter and other displays of immaturity throughout the season, he said he always talks to him and added that “he’d be one of the first ones I’d call to watch my kids.”
“Sometimes we take a small snippet of someone’s life and try to portray that person as that,” Saleh said. “He’s an incredibly thoughtful and kind person, believe it or not. Not to throw shade on his persona, he’s an incredible person and while these snippets can get put out there, if you truly knew the man, you’d love to be around him.”
Saleh said OL Wes Schweitzer (calf) will be out for Sunday’s game against the Patriots.
“Other than that, everything is going to be status quo from an injury standpoint,” the coach said.
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